1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a method and system for incinerating combustible solid wastes, and more particularly to a method and system for incinerating gin trash.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, practically every segment of industry and agriculture is searching for alternate sources of energy as well as techniques for disposing of waste. For example, cotton gins in California and Arizona annually face the problem of disposing of gin trash in amounts estimated at approximately 350 million pounds per year, or approximately 140 pounds of trash for each bale of cotton ginned.
Currently, three known methods are available for disposing of gin trash; namely, burning the trash, feeding the trash to animals, or returning the trash to the soil, in either its raw or composted form.
Unfortunately, certain states, by law, treat gin trash as industrial waste and prohibit disposal by open burning. Moreover, potentially hazardous chemicals often are found in gin trash and preclude the trash from being fed to livestock, or disposed through a spreading on or introduction of the trash into the soil. In any event, disposal of trash not only is considered to be costly, but frequently is difficult if not impossible where the chemical content thereof can or does impair the well-being of animal and/or plant life.
In view of the recognized need to develop alternate sources of energy as well as the existence of a need to conserve available fossil fuels, much attention has been directed to using gin trash as a source of the energy required in the process-drying of seed cotton. While estimates of pounds per bale of cotton ginned throughout the United States may vary over a relatively wide range, there exists a consensus to the effect that the potential for recovery of heat resulting from incineration of gin waste is sufficient to render uses of fossil fuel sources in the process-drying of seed cotton obsolete.
Unfortunately, incineration of gin trash has not met with general acceptance, either for purposes of disposing of waste, or serving as an alternate source of energy. This results, at least in part, from the fact that gin waste is difficult to burn even when utilizing the better known of systems such as the so-called tepee burner. This difficulty is emphasized where existing standards of pollution control must be met, since in many instances clean-air legislation prevents continued use of the tepee burner.
In attempting to upgrade incinerators, in an effort to meet clean-air standards, various closed systems have been suggested. However, designers of the systems heretofore proposed have been plagued by enormous problems resulting from the formation of "clinkers", or rock-like deposits, as a by-product. Often such deposits precipitate clogging with catastrophic results.
Therefore, as can be appreciated, there currently exists a need for a practical method and system capable of incinerating gin trash with efficiency at the level required to meet clean-air legislative standards and to provide practical quantities of energy economically.
It is therefore the general purpose of the instant invention to provide a method and system for incinerating combustible wastes, particularly gin trash, whereby the trash can be disposed of economically and efficiently with an attendant recovery of substantial quantities of energy, such as heat and the like.